The Beat of Your Heart
by Casey 'Flame' Wolfe
Summary: Vince could hear it, the racing of a heart. It was like music. He was so lost in the sound that he froze and it wasn't until a gentle hand was pressed to his own heart that he felt the calming energy washing over him. [Slash, Sentinel/Guide AU]


They were at a street race when he heard it. Somehow, within all that noise - the engines, the music, the people - Vince picked up on a heartbeat. It was strong and steady. The pulse rate spiked, although the heart didn't stutter in fear- it was adrenaline, excitement.

So focused on this single person's heart, he lost himself. He froze. His friend's voices didn't register, nor did their touch. All that mattered was that one sound. It was beautiful, like music. Like any other zone Vince had no concept of time, so therefore he had no idea how long he was standing there on the sidewalk like that.

It wasn't until a sense of warmth passed through his body that he blinked a few times, coming back to himself. The first thing he noticed was the hand on his chest, right over his own heart. Looking up, he was met with the most brilliant blue eyes that stole his breath away. This was the person whose heart he was hearing and he instantly realized why he had focused on it.

The blonde in front of him was a Guide- which explained how he could pull Vince from his frozen state. Except he wasn't just any Guide, he was _his._

Vince whimpered, body collapsing into the stranger's. His nose nestled into the crook of the man's neck, instantly hit with the scent of fresh clothing and sandalwood shampoo. Rather than be put off, the Guide wrapped his arms around his shoulders, pulling him even closer and enfolding the Sentinel with warm, calming energy.

"What took you so long?" Vince asked.

There was a chuckle from the other man, and Vince found the sound to be as intoxicating as his heartbeat. "I'm sorry," he replied sincerely, pressing their cheeks together. "I'm here now."

"V?" someone questioned behind him in concern. The brunette pulled back from the Guide enough to twist his body. It had been Dom. He and the rest of the team were looking at the Sentinel in concern. "You ok?" Vince nodded, and his best friend's gaze went to the blonde. "Thanks for helping him."

"My job," the Guide answered with a shrug.

Before anything more could be said, a loud-mouth racer weaved through the crowd, hollering towards the blonde. "'Ey pretty boy! Your ass gettin' to the line anytime tonight?"

Vince growled sweeping in front of the Guide protectively as the other racer approached. "Back off!" he warned, fists clenching.

There was a calming hand on his shoulder as the blonde stepped up beside him. "Be there in a minute." He smirked as he added coolly, "I wouldn't be so quick to lose your money if I were you." The kid snorted, but between Vince's stance and the dismissive tone of the blonde he disappeared towards the starting line for the race.

"Sorry," the Guide mentioned, looking over at Vince. "Looks like we'll have to finish this in a little bit."

"Go kick his ass," was all Vince grunted out. He'd enjoy watching his Guide hand it to that punk kid.

"Will do," the blonde laughed, starting to head that way. He paused, looking over his shoulder. "Name's Brian by the way."

The Sentinel blinked, having completely forgotten they were total strangers. "Vince," he answered.

"Well Vince… See you at the finish line." He gave a cheeky grin and disappeared into the crowd.

"What was that all about?" Dom asked in confusion, stepping up beside his friend.

Vince turned to look at him. "That's my Guide."

He didn't miss Dom's surprised expression. "No shit?" The brunette nodded, the hint of a smile coming to his face. "Well let's go see what the Buster's got behind the wheel." Vince _did _grin then. That sounded like a good plan.

The rest of the team trailed them towards the makeshift starting line where four cars were pulling up. They were in an out of the way, abandoned warehouse district where the cops would most likely be a non-issue, so the drivers were trying for as many heats as possible.

Vince spotted his Guide's car and smirked- a royal blue Skyline. On first glance there didn't seem to be anything special about it- no decals or fancy body kits- until the white neon underneath came on and it started hissing smoke out of the front quarter panels like a dragon. With his abilities, Vince was able to tell the quality of mechanical work without even having to pop the hood, though he was careful not to fall prey to another zone- he wanted to see the race.

It was completely worth it too. None of the other competitors could _touch _Brian, who hadn't even used his nitrous. So therefore no one could really blame Vince for swelling with pride, thumping Dom on the back. Anyone would think it was the Sentinel that had won with the way his face twisted into a shit-eating grin.

The cars returned to the start line and Brian stumbled getting out of his car so fast. His smile was turned to megawatt, practically _glowing_. Vince found the sight breathtaking, and the fact that all that energy was directed at him made him all the more excited. The Guide flew at him, colliding into welcoming arms as he laughed in delight.

"Well done," Vince told him, giving him a squeeze and nuzzling into his neck. He was trying to memorize the man's scent, the sweet aroma that came off of him in waves with his joy.

"Thanks," Brian murmured and when the brunette pulled back to look at him there was a blush heating his cheeks. If it wasn't the most adorable sight, Vince didn't know what was.

The pair could have probably stood there for the rest of the night in the other's arms if it weren't for the team. Dom landed a hand on Vince's shoulder, giving it a squeeze to get his attention. "May wanna let yer boy breathe there." He nodded his head towards Hector who was hovering nearby. "Let 'im grab his take and we'll head back home to party."

Brian was already holding his hand out, smirking when the banded hundreds were placed there. "Appreciate it," he mused, eyes twinkling with mischief as he looked back at Vince. "So, what is this about a party?"

Vince smiled back. "Parties are always good with us." He turned the blonde towards the team, shifting so he stood beside him, an arm slipping around his waist. "This here's my pack. Dominic and his girl Letty… Leon, Jesse. You'll meet Dom's sis, Mia, when we get to the house. She'll probably come downstairs at some point to throw things at us for interrupting her studying."

Brian laughed at that. "Sounds like a firecracker."

"You've no idea," Vince muttered. To the team he said, "This is Brian… my Guide."

"No shit?" Leon asked in disbelief. "That's awesome V."

"Yeah man," Jesse added. "Congrats."

"Told ya it was only a matter of time," Dom mentioned, thumping his best friend on the back before starting to walk off towards where they parked the cars.

Vince didn't want to let go of his Guide, not when he'd just found him, but he had little choice. "Meet us over there and you can follow." Brian gave a nod, rubbing the Sentinel's arm in understanding before pulling away to get in his Skyline.

They had plenty of time to spend together- though the quicker they got to the Toretto house, the easier that would be.

* * *

The house seemed to fill up quickly as the racing wore down and people were on the prowl for celebrations. Still, there was no getting in to the Toretto home without an invite, and all those there were friends of the group Vince had introduced as pack. Some were racers, others spectators, be them car junkies or significant others. It was a jamming party and according to Vince it was completely normal.

"Can be irritating some days," the Sentinel admitted, handing Brian a Corona. They had finally managed to slip away from Mia, who had descended the stairs in a huff when the team came in like banshees. Of course her mood did a complete flip when she spotted Brian and had immediately launched into fifty questions when he was introduced as Vince's Guide.

"I'll bet." Brian could only imagine the Sentinel had excellent control if he could put up with it. Not to mention that they were in the place considered to be the pack house, even if it wasn't Vince's- hence the exclusiveness- which could easily mess with a Sentinel's instincts regarding boundaries and protecting their own.

Vince shrugged. "If it gets too much then Dom usually runs everyone off or I just call it a night." There had been times he'd hid out in the garage too, just needing some time to refocus and reign in his instincts.

"What senses do you have anyway?" the Guide inquired, leaning against the counter. It felt strange asking in such a way as usually pair bonds met at parties and gatherings hosted by the various Sentinel-Guide training facilities.

"Oh…" Apparently Vince was realizing they knew nothing of the other either, blinking in surprise. "Yeah, well… hearing, smell, and sight." Brian nodded. It was fairly rare to have three enhanced senses, even more so four or the practically mythical five. At least Vince's were the common senses that Sentinels tended to have enhanced. Brian would be better able to help him since he was more familiar with them. Granted, those senses also made it more difficult to have a normal life out in society. It would be a constant battle of holding back his instincts as well as having more opportunities to zone like he had earlier.

That reminded Brian… "What made you zone earlier?" Vince spoke under his breath, blushing a little as he turned his head away. "What?"

"Your heartbeat," Vince admitted, clearer that time. He managed to look back at the Guide and shrugged awkwardly. "I picked it out somehow and… got lost in it."

Rather than laugh or tease him as Vince expected, the blonde was giving him a bright smile. Brian reached over, placing a hand on his forearm, and the Sentinel could feel the energy passing between them. It was calming and warm- something he'd felt from other Guides he'd worked with over the years as a way to settle a Sentinel, but it had _never _felt like this.

"Thanks," Vince murmured, already feeling more balanced.

"Anytime." Brian's grin never faltered as he scooted closer to where they leaned against the kitchen counter. It was quieter in there with less foot traffic, so it was as good a place as any to get to know each other better. "So when yer not racing whadda ya do?"

"Dom owns a garage that we all work at. Mia runs the store when she's not at school- just this little grocery."

"Sounds nice."

"Puts food on the table." Vince took a swig of his beer before asking, "So what do you do?"

"I'm a cop," Brian answered casually, laughing behind his bottle as the Sentinel almost choked on his next swallow of beer. "A pretty good one too other than the whole illegal racing thing."

"Ya don't fuckin' say," Vince answered sarcastically, pounding his chest as he coughed a little more. "Damn. Never saw that one comin'."

Brian shrugged, taking another drink before explaining, "Wasn't always a good kid. Been to juvie for boostin' cars and shit. But decided to turn it around and became a cop. More _respectable _of a job description too for when I found my Sentinel."

Vince nodded. "And you were hoping you'd meet 'im that way too." It was very common place that Sentinels worked in fields that served the public- police, fire, EMS, military- where their skills were put to better use than in a garage tuning cars.

"Wouldda been a bonus," Brian admitted. "But… couldn't stay away from racing it seems. Used to go back home to Barstow to race, or down to San Diego or something. First time I stayed local." He glanced sideways at his Sentinel and smirked. "Guess it's good I did."

Grinning at that, Vince scooted over the rest of the way so they were touching once more. "Yeah, I'd say so."

Later in the evening found the pair sitting in Vince's usual corner of the room. Brian was curled on the other's lap, his head on Vince's shoulder with his nose in the crook of his neck. The brunette's arms were wrapped snuggly around him, holding him close.

His senses were stretched a bit, keeping alert for any danger he would have to protect his new Guide from. In reality he knew he had nothing to fear from any of the guests there. If someone had managed to slip in that didn't belong, Dom would take care of them long before they'd become a problem.

"This is nice," Brian murmured. It sounded as though he were getting a bit sleepy, while in reality he was just so content that it was putting every part of him at ease. He held lightly onto Vince's wrist, sharing the feelings with him.

The Sentinel purred out an agreement, body relaxing thanks to the energy Brian was sharing with him. He could feel the blonde's ease and felt a surge of pride go through him that _he _was the cause. They couldn't share more than basic emotion without bonding, but it was enough to understand as Vince sent back his happiness.

"Let's get outta here," Vince suggested, nuzzling into blonde curls. "I wanna bond you."

A blush spread across Brian's cheeks and he nodded. "Yeah," he whispered back, "alright."

As they weaved their way towards the door, they came across Dom. "Callin' it a night?" he inquired.

"Yeah," the Sentinel answered, "the Buster and I have some stuff to take care of."

Dom grinned, catching the meaning easily. One thing about growing up with Vince was that he understood Sentinels and Guides a lot better than the average person. He was actually surprised that it had taken the pair so long to leave as he knew full well how long Vince had been pining for his Guide- though he was sure his best friend would deny most of it being there were quite a few bad times Dom could recall where the brunette had completely broken down.

"See ya later Dom," Brian offered.

"Cookout tomorrow," Dom reminded the Sentinel. "Don't be late."

Vince gave him a little crooked grin. "No promises," he teased, both of them laughing as Brian's face reddened once more. "Come on. You can follow me home."

"Home," Brian parroted once they stepped onto the porch. He quirked his lips looking over at his Sentinel. "Guess it'll be mine too, huh?"

Vince shrugged, wrapping an arm around Brian's waist as they walked to their cars. "We could maybe move into your place instead," he offered, "or find a whole new place." It was usual that a Guide would move into their Sentinel's as it was their den, their territory they felt most comfortable in. Brian was touched that his Sentinel was concerned with his feelings on the matter, though he was hardly surprised given that Vince's territory extended to various places- the Toretto house, the market, the garage- and not just his own townhouse.

"We'll talk about it later," Brian conceded. "First thing's first."

"Yeah," Vince agreed. Brian had his car door open and was leaning against it looking up at Vince. The Sentinel met his eyes, not helping the slight smile that came to his face. Taking a chance, he leaned in, pressing his lips to the Guide's. "First thing's first," he murmured against his mouth. He could feel Brian smiling against his lips before leaning in to initiate a soft kiss of his own.

It wasn't always the way of things, that a bonded pair would share a bed, although it was more common than not. After all, a Sentinel and Guide shared a bond like no other. It was only natural that they would become close once they shared both mind and soul- _body _just seemed like the expectant next step.

Still, it was probably quick to jump to after only meeting a few hours previous. Brian knew though, as did Vince. They felt the strong pull between them, the bonds trying to form even as they stood there in each other's embrace. They were home.

* * *

They stumbled into the bedroom, already pawing at the other in an attempt to remove clothing as quickly as possible. When Brian fell to the bed he didn't have to be a Sentinel to know he was completely enveloped by the other's scent. It was the man's den, the place Vince would claim him as both his Guide and his lover and it brought a smile to Brian's face.

Vince's eyes roved none too subtly over the planes and lines of the blonde's form, tanned skin standing out against the pale blue sheets. He crawled his way up Brian's body, stopping to kiss various places and scent. His Guide smelled like the ocean and cars, it was seeped into all of his pores, it was who he was. Vince would see to it that he also smelled of him from then on- he was possessive like that.

As his tongue laved at Brian's collarbone, dipping into the v of his throat, he could hear the breathy sigh. "Bond us," Vince murmured. "Please." He'd waited _so long _for this moment.

"Come here," the Guide urged, guiding them both to lie on their sides. Their legs twinned together and their arms wrapped around each other, drawing their bodies flush. "Relax." His blue eyes connected with hazel depths and Vince could feel himself become at ease within an instant.

"Please," he repeated, even softer than before.

Their eyes remained locked and Vince could feel something twisting its way into his body. It was an energy- Brian's energy- warming him from the inside out. A gasp left his lips, eyes fluttering closed as the sensation spread through his entire being, touching him bone-deep and beyond.

There was a rush that felt as though all the air came out of his lungs, along with his very soul. Just as quickly it all came flooding back and he took a gasping breath. His eyes snapped open, meeting an equally surprised gaze. He pulled Brian in close, hearing his heart beating rapidly in his chest as he too tried to catch his breath.

After a few moments, Brian managed a smile and Vince couldn't help but return it. There was a low hum going through them, no doubt the effects of the soulbonding process. As a side effect, it seemed to also make them sleepy as Brian snuggled in closer, nuzzling into his Sentinel's neck. "I think our other _bonding _will have to wait," he mentioned. "Nap time."

Vince quirked his lips. "Sounds like a plan Buster." He kissed the top of Brian's head but the Guide wasn't having that, tilting his head back to join their lips. The Sentinel ran his hand up his jaw, tangling into blonde locks to deepen the kiss. It didn't last long though, Vince cupping his cheek and giving him one last peck before pulling back. "Sleep now, Bri," he whispered. "I'll be here." There was a pause before he added, "Always." Brian smiled, snuggling in closer to his Sentinel.

It would be a few days before their bond fully settled into place. Even so, they could already feel it thrumming with energy between them. After all the years of wondering if they would ever find their match, they were finally content for the first time in their lives. And why wouldn't they be? They were finally whole.

/End

* * *

**A/N: My first attempt at Sentinel/Guide fusion so hopefully it turned out alright.**


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